Transmission cooler install help

Hello all!

I bought the Genuine Cooler Transmission cooler, Setrab.

I need help or resources to help install, someone to help me or a shop y’all recommend. I live in Oregon City, Oregon.

I don’t really have any supplies to install or tools for that matter. If any one knows anyone to help me or a shop, I would very much appreciate it!


Thank you in advance!

 

https://youtu.be/5DLkja6vXvc?si=RdBV51OwF7osEshh

It’s fairly easy with minimal hand tools.

 

Do you have one installed?

 

Yes, also have factory cooler. Used to tow in AZ summers.

 

When I lived out there my coworkers had good experiences with Mule Expedition Outfitters in Tualatin and Iron Rigs in Beaverton. I don’t know if they do engine/transmission work, you’d have to ask.

 

After install how much did it lower your temps?

 

No idea, no trans temp gauge.

 

You could rent space here. https://gearheadgarage.us/
In fact, when I lived in Beaverton I used this garage to self install my transmission cooler. Fishing the hard lines is much easier with the truck on a lift.

 

Great idea!

 

Are you confident in your abilities? It’s not to bad to do but when you said you don’t have any hand tools it makes think it might be challenging for you. The most challenging part is setting the transmission fluid level after your install which takes a method of reading the pan temperature.

Also why do you think you need one? It’s really only necessary it you tow heavy alot.

 

I plan to tow a 7 k trailer often and I live in an area with lots of hills. I have a trans fluid reader and getting pan temps of 215 and 245 at the TC. That’s without towing too. I worry I’ll reach really high temps this summer and damage the transmission otherwise I guess was my thought.

 

Yes if you’re towing heavy consider the trans cooler. It’s unlikely you will damage the transmission without the cooler. The advantage is that you won’t have to change your transmission fluid as often. Heat degrades transmission fluid quickly. To read the trans temps properly use OBD Fusion app or the Torque app to read the pan temps. Don’t be overly concerned about the TC temps.
So the question is, are you confident in your abilities to do the work yourself? There are some good threads on the install.

 

So the pan temps matter more then?

I definitely have the confidence to do it, just will need to dedicate a day to it and need a level area. Might borrow a friends garage and have a buddy help me.

 

Yes the pan temps is the one to watch. The TC temps fluctuate quite a bit depending if the TC is locked or not. The pan temps gives the overall temp of transmission.

 

I found installing a transmission cooler kit to be very straight forward and easy. In an effort to save a few dollars I pieced together the OEM parts needed from a dealer online and plasma cut a mounting bracket for the cooler and getting it powder coated. Lots of ways to tackle this and most all aren’t that hard. I think the biggest thing to extending the life of the transmission is to put a cooler of some kind on it.

Turned out alot of people wanted to save money and go the DIY route so I have started selling small kits of the brackets.

For the level area - you could always just use a jack and jackstands. It would help give you the extra room to slide around under it.

 

Wish a place existed near me like this.

 

Question for anyone that could help I installed the genuine cooling system TC a few months back and was going to add an inline magnetic filter. Which hose would I put it on (top or bottom)? Or does it matter. Pic below for reference

 

I have my setup so that the inlet is on the bottom fitting of the cooler. You can verify how yours is setup by feeling the hoses for the temperature difference. I really don’t think you need an inline filter but if you wanted one, I’d put it on the inlet hose of the cooler.

 

Awesome big help. The inlet would be hot and outlet cold when touching I suspect. Seems the GCS is backwards on the top/bottom vs inlet/outlet orientation.

 

If you have enough slack in the lines you could swap inlet & outlet, so inlet comes in on the bottom of the cooler. That way is preferred to avoid any possible air pockets getting trapped at the top of the cooler.

 

Yes, inlet is hot and cold is return. You want the inlet on the bottom so that as it fills up it purges air and no air is trapped in the system.

If you have it reversed, probably not a huge issue and likely not worth rushing to swap the lines. If it’s been working fine for a while it might be fine forever.

 

I recently installed my cooler. Got the bracket from Jmunk.

I put a magnefine filter on the hose that feeds the cooler. I'm not really sure it's needed but it's cheap peace of mind since I swapped all atf fuid. I was worried I'd loosen up some debris with all new fluid.

 

Op, the install is straight forward.

Install the oem rubber hoses to the thermostat before you install it.

The hardlines were difficult for me because the mounting tabs were not lining up to the mounting holes. I fiddled with them for 30 mins and couldn't put them on. Then I finally decided to look around and noticed the mounting bracket by the alternator is bolted in place. I backed off the bolt to give the bracket some play and was able to mount the hardlines. So if you get into the same obstacle where the holes don't line up. Move straight to backing the bolt for the bracket. I don't know why I didn't do that in the first place.

 

I too put a magnafine filter on the bottom hose.

 

I also used this as a guide.

 

I used these guys. $400. https://tualatintransmission.com/

 

The line on the bottom.

 

you had them install the genuine cooler system or one they had in the shop?

 

Do you have a point of contact or maybe the person's name you dealt with in case anyone from the area reaches out to these guys they'll be able to talk w/someone that's familiar w/what we're after??

Also, at that price point, what if anything did they provide in terms of parts, fluids, etc... or was it all labor??

Did you pre-mount the cooler or anything else prior to handing it to them??

 

The genuine one. He said it was a quality kit.